John e



(N0 Model.)

J. E. RUEBSAM. 1 APPARATUS FR IRBATMENT OF ANKYLOSIS,

N0. 439,255. Patented0ot. 28, 1890.

T all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. RUEBSAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OB COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANKYLOSIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 439,255, da.ted001701081 28, 1890.

Application filed February 11 1390. Serial N0. 338,918. (N0 model.)

Be it known that I, J OHN E. RUEBSAM, 0f the city of Washington, in theDistrict of C0- lumbia, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus forthe Treatment 0f Ankylosis of the J oints of the Lege and for otherPurposes, of which the following is a specifieation In the treatment ofanchylosis and neurosis 0f the joints 0f the legs it is necessary thatthe patient shoulcl exercise bis legs in order t0 give motion to thejoints. This exereise must be taken whi1e the patient is in bed 0r in anequivalent position. In many cases also it is extremely necessary the1:only a limited. m0- ti0n shoulcl be perfnitted, in order that thetreament znay be most effectual. Sometimes it is necessary that lhemotion should be limited in one direction and sometimesin the op positedirection.

Now, the primary objee 0f tl1e present invention is to provlde anappar'at-us which shall enable the patient 130 exercise the hip, knee,and ankle joints while in a recumbentposition, and, when necessary ordesirable, to enable the extent 0f movement, either up 01 cl0wn, 110 belimitecl in accordance with the ext geneies of the case or thediscretion of the physician.

Secondarily, the apparatus is designecl to be used in the extension ofthe leg in ease of a fracture of the same and as a, leg-res'o forholding the leg in a more 01' lass elevate d position, eithertemporarily during an examination 01' operation upon the same 01 for anextended period, as is freQuently desireble in the treatment 0felephantiasis 01 hydrophic afieetions.

The improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhieh- I igure 1 is a perspective view 0f the apparatus, showing themanner 0f use when the leg is being exercised with a limited downwardmovement. Fig. 2 is a side view 0f the same'showing the parts in adifierent position from Fig. l, a part of the supporting frame or boxbeing broken away to show the foottrolley more clearly, and Fig. 3 is across-section of 1;he apparatus.

The various movable parts of the apparatus are supported upon a base,consisting, prefe ably, of a trough=shaped box Athe bottom of which isadapted co be placed directly upon the bed 01 couch 0n whieh thepatientls lying. This box may be 0f any suitable length t0 offen theneeessary or desired eXtent 0f movement, and may be of 2 my desiredwidth consistent with its Stability when in use. The bottom a 0f the boxis p1ovided on its upper .surface with suitablelongitudinally-extencling parallel ways O1 traeks 17 b, in 01' 011 whichth'e foot carria-ge 01 trolley B travels. This foot-trolley is composed01: asuitable frame c, having a proper number of wheels d d, Whieh runin the ways b b.

011 the trolley-frame c is pivotally mountecl the foot-support C, theaxis e 0f whieh extends horizontally and ab right angles t0 alle path 0fthe trolley, so that when the foot of the patient is bandagecl 130 thesupport C the ankle may be moved and the ankle-joint exercised. Thepivooal mounting of the footsupport also permits tl1e trolley t0 runeasily at all times on the track during the exercise 0f the kuee 01 hipjoints.

The fooo;support O is furnished with a rigid sole-pla-te f, againstWhi0h the sole 0f the f000 rests.

The trolley is properly connected 130 the f0ot 0f the patient bybandaging, the bandages being maintained in position by fixedprojeotions g 011 the support C anti sole-pla'ue The foot 0f the patienthaving been bandage(l to tlie foot-trolley, the patien bends theleg-joints and Ehe trolley travels back and forth 011 ics ways,supporting the weight of the leg, aml thus rendering ehe exercise easyfor the patient. 4

In some instances i1q is clesirable tl1at t-he patient should be givenadditional exercise, and for such cases the foovtrolley is provided witha bail G, to which may be att-aehed a cord h,whieh extencls over apulley i, mounoecl 011 any convenient fixed supportj, seid cordsupporting a weight k, as shown in Fig. 2. 111 exereising uncler thesecireumstances the patient has t0 1aise bis leg in opposition to theweight k. If desired for 9xercising-the ankl6 alone, the cord h 1nay beattached to an eye l on the sole=platef. The foot-sup port O is properlyrecessed, as shown inFigs. 1 ancl 3, 130 reeeive and support the heel ofthe patient.

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In orcle1 t limit the movement 0f ehe leg in one direetion 01' eheot-her, as may be desirable 0r neeessary, a movable and adjustablesl1ield D is providecl. This shield is adjustably supportecl 011 anclbetween two vertieal posts E E, secured 0n opposite sicles 015 the baseA. This shielcl is providecl with exteriorly-projeeting serewthreadeclpintles m m 011 opposit-e sides, whieh are adapted 110 be passed throughany pair of a series of Vertieally-arrangecl adjusting-apertures 0 0 inthe vertical p0sts E E, whereby the shielcl may be vertieally acljusted.

The shield is held in any desired posi1iion by means 0f thumb-nuts s,which screw 0n 'the pintles m, and which enable (when clesired) th eshielcl 130 be clampecl tightly and immovably in an given position. Theshielcl is properly curved 01' arehecl between it's supporting-posts soas t0 be aclapted t0 the leg.

- W'l1en it; is desire cl t0 limit tl1e downwarcl movement of the leg,t-he shield is placecl, zus shown in Fig. l, With its eurve or auch extencling downwarclly, so that when the leg reaches its downward limit 0fmotion it rests in the shielcl. VVhen, however, the s-hielcl is t0 beused to limit the upwarcl movement 0f the leg, in is turnecl around, assh0wn in Figs. 2 and 3, so that i arehes upwarclly. If oben the leg ismoved up, the knee strikes the shield, and thus the upwarcl movement 0fthe leg is limited.

When the shield occupies it-s position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it isnecessary Chat it should be clamped tightly by the thumb-nuts t0 thesupporting-posts E E in oraler that 113 may maintain its position. \Vhenhowever, it 00- cupies the position shown in Fig. 1, tl1e thumbnuts maybe lefb loose, so that the shield n1ay swing 011 the pin'tles m,whichconstitute pivots therefor.

T0 aceommodate the shielcl t0 different persons ancl t0 enable it 130 beplacecl under he calf or thigh, over the knee, or otherwise, as desired,rhe posts E E are acljustably secured to the sides of the box A, so thatthey may occupy dlfferent positions along the sides 0f tl1e b0x. T0 thisend, eaeh side of the b0x (01 rather the metal strap t, which ispreferably secured t0 eaeh sicle) is providecl with a series 0fproperly-distaneecl female-threadecl apertures w, in which enters athumb-serew x, which passes through apertures in the lower ends 0f eachpost E. Each post is also properly bracecl by a brace-bar F, which issecured t0 the stmp 25 by a thumb-screw -c ilfl3 its lower end, ancl isalso permanenuly attached at its upper end 130 its p0st.

The shield 02m be used as a leg-rest t0 hold the leg a any desiredheight, the shield then oecupying a position similar to tl1at sh0wn inFig. l, and being preferably suspenclecl freely on its pintles, so as toswing there0n, if desired. When the shield is thus in use as a leg-rest,the trolley may be entirely removecl.

'lhe apparatus is used f01 the extension 0f the leg in the ease 0f afracture by bandaging ehe foot t0 the foot-t-rolley ancl then attaehingt0 the trolley any desired weight by means 0f the corcl h. When thusused, the shield ancl its supports may be entirely removed.

I clain1 as my invention l. The base having suitable parallel ways 01tracks, in combination witl1 the wheeled fobttrolley adaptecl t0 tra-velback and forth thereon when the f00t of a patientis secured thereto,substantially as Set; f01th.

2. The base having suitable ways 0r' fi'raeks, in eombination witl1 thefoot-trolley traveling there0n, ancl tl1e foot-support pivotallycouneeted 110 saicl trolley, substantially as set forth.

3. The base having suitable Ways 01 tracks and thefoot-trolleytravelin'g thereon, in combination wi th the shield mountedabovesaid ways or tracks, substantially as set fort-h.

4. The base having suitable ways 01 traeks und the foot-trolley tmvelingthereon, in combination with the shield mounted ab0ve seid ways 01tracks ancl vertieally adj ustable, substantially as sei: forth.

5. The supportingposts, in combination With the shield pivotally mountedthereon, substant-ially as sei; forth.

6. The base and the support ing-posts 0ne 011 eaeh side 0f seid base andlongitudinally adjustable thereon, in combinationwith the shield mountedbetween such posts, substantially as Set forth.

7. The base and the foot-trolley traveling thereon, in combiuation Withthe weighta cord eonnecting said weight ancl trolley, and anintermecliate pnlley over which said cord passes, substantially as sei;forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signecl my nenne in the presence 0ftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. RUEBSAM.

\Vionessesz ARTHUR S. BROVVNE, JOSE M. YZNAGA.

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